Leaders in Liverpool City Region want more answers from government on science behind local lockdown

Liverpool’s COVID infection rate has risen to 268 per 100,000 population, Matt Hancock confirmed today speaking at the Commons, which meant that rules announced earlier for the North East would now be extended here.

The new regulations for Liverpool City Region mean:

• No social mixing between people in different households in all settings except outdoor public spaces like parks and outdoor hospitality
• A recommendation that people should not attend professional or amateur sporting events as spectators
• A recommendation that people only visit care homes in exceptional circumstances 
• Guidance against all but essential travel. Essential travel includes going to work or school

Liverpool City Region leaders say they have asked the government to provide them with the scientific evidence so they can understand if these measures will be sufficient to prevent the spread of the virus.

A joint statement from the Metro Mayor, City Mayor and Council Leaders of the Liverpool City Region has been released and reads as follows:

“As the elected leaders and MPs of the Liverpool City Region our first priority is to protect the health and wellbeing of the 1.6 million people that we represent.

“It’s absolutely right that we do everything we can to stop the spread of Coronavirus and keep as many people as safe as possible. Over the past few days, we have engaged in talks with minsters over their proposals for greater restrictions.

“The measures announced today are a step in the right direction but we need to understand whether they are enough to really address the escalating cases in our city region.

“Therefore, we are requesting that the government provide us with the scientific evidence so we can understand if these measures will be sufficient to prevent the spread of the virus.

“In addition, we are also aware that, without appropriate financial support from the government, restrictions will damage businesses and industries – in many cases irretrievably – when in normal times they are perfectly viable.

“Our region is an international destination, and our visitor economy is worth almost £5bn to the city region economy every year and employs over 50,000 people. Over recent years, our hospitality and retail industries have been vibrant and growing. But we have already seen some businesses go under in the face of COVID and, without Government assistance over the past few months, many more would have followed.

“These new restrictions mean that we will also need an immediate substantial additional package of economic support from the Government urgently and, so far, it is not clear that this is being provided.

“We will now seek further urgent talks with the Government on these measures, any further measures, and what their response is to our request for a financial support package.”

Steve Rotheram

Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region 

Cllr Rob Polhill

Leader of Halton Council 

Joe Anderson OBE

Mayor of Liverpool 

Cllr Graham Morgan

Leader of Knowsley Council 

Cllr Ian Maher

Leader of Sefton Council 

Cllr David Baines

Leader of St Helens Council 

Cllr Janette Williamson

Leader of Wirral Council 

Conor McGinn MP

Alison McGovern MP

Ian Byrne MP

Angela Eagle MP

Mick Whitley MP

Paula Barker MP

Kim Johnson MP

Bill Esterson MP

Margaret Greenwood MP

Dan Carden MP

Marie Rimmer MP

Mike Amesbury MP

Maria Eagle MP

George Howarth MP